Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, known for his roles in “The Queen’s Gambit” and “Steal,” leads the cast of “Cloud 99,” a dystopian short from the National Film and Television School written and directed by Leila Murton Poole.
The film also stars Olivia Popica and Jayda Eyles (“Breeders”) as Fortune-Lloyd’s on-screen family, with Tim Berrington playing their eccentric neighbor.
The story takes place in a community where residents pay for access to sunlight. A father goes to extreme lengths to support his daughter’s entry in a school competition to grow sunflowers. The narrative combines intimate character drama with satirical social commentary on inequality, environmental disaster, and survival within exclusionary systems.
Milly Pope produces the project, her second collaboration with Murton Poole after their dystopian short “Earth,” which received a best student short nomination at the BAFTA-qualifying Norwich Film Festival and was selected for Manchester Film Festival.
“I’m drawn to exploring real-world…